If you’re viewing this page on a phone or tablet, please turn to view in landscape mode, thank you. If you can’t see the list of services on the right hand side please use the connecting links or scroll down for these and other events and information.

Updates and resources to use at home

• “On the Way”. The Diocese is asking us what our future shape as a church might look like, and this is going to be done through a process called ‘On the Way (OtW)’. This is going to start in our Deanery later this month – everyone is invited to an open meeting on Zoom of the Deanery Synod on Thursday September 23rd at 7pm for the launch. The launch will include:
  • Video from Bishop Hugh to set the scene
  • Introduction for East Wivelshire from David Watters
  • Fruitfulness and Sustainability with Chris, our Rural Dean
  • The Process, with Julian Briscoe from the Diocese
• This is being championed by Rev Lynn, David Watters and others in the Deanery
• Everyone, church going or not, is invited to take part and bring their ideas and vision, whatever they are, there’s no obstacles as we begin the process. We need to make sure we have a bright, fruitful and sustainable ministry in our Benefice by sharing every idea and vision for the future. One thing is very certain, we cannot continue as we are!
  • Please email Rev Lynn or me on stgermanspriory@gmail.com for the Zoom link.
• To find out more about On the Way, visit the Diocesan website here that includes a video from Bishop Philip.
• We were delighted to reopen Messy Church in July, our session focused on the Miracles of Jesus.  The children engaged in a range of creative activities from mixing their own (non-alcoholic!) cocktails to colouring self-portraits.  Revd Lynn then gathered everyone together to read the Feeding of the Five Thousand and we ended with the Messy Grace followed by drinks and cake.
• The next Messy Church at St Germans Priory will be Saturday 4^th September.  Sessions will be from 10.00 am until 12 noon. . Read more about Messy Church in the monthly newsletter.
• Our worship and church life continues online in midweek and Sunday evening, led by Rev Lynn and the Ministry Team using Zoom software. These include morning and evening prayer and are still on most days of the week. Click here for details. Please contact Rev Lynn if you would like to join us, there is no requirement to live within our benefice, you would be most welcome! With our now having services in both in church and online on Zoom, we have become a “hybrid” church – a church that recognises that it is the being together that counts, more than where you are sitting, to worship God.
• Pub theology continues online……click here for details, now moved to Monday evening, monthly, starting from June 7th.
  
• This month we learn more about Jenny Bushrod, one of the churchwardens at St Mary’s, Sheviock.  This can be found here
  
• Our monthly newsletter can be downloaded here.
  
• Covid restrictions following the lifting of restrictions by the government on July 19th. The government has put emphasis on all of us taking care of our own well being and safety. Our policies are designed to respect those in our congregations who are more vulnerable, and those who wish to continue with the restrictions. Mindful of the anxieties from our congregation and visitors, the churches have a responsibility to support public health. We will therefore continue to strongly encourage all our visitors to wear face coverings, sanitise hands and register with the Test and Trace system when visiting or worshipping.
  • In addition, our worship patterns will remain the same. We may experiment with singing of hymns, but with masks, which may be uncomfortable. Holy Communion will continue to be in one kind (the bread) only. We will continue to remain in our seats for the sharing of the peace. We will continue our strict cleaning regimes.
  • All our churches are open to visitors as places of interest, prayer and reflection.
  • We will continue to monitor and evaluate the situation and may change our advice as deemed necessary.

Online options

There are many options for worship and prayer online….

Or you could still listen to one of the many radio options – Radio 4, Radio Cornwall offer services on a Sunday around 8am.

Or you could look at: Church of England website that now has more services to join – or at many churches and cathedrals up and down the country who have other offerings

A very good resource is https://www.churchofengland.org/more/media-centre/church-online

Browse a whole range of prayers you can choose from to read – or listen to:

Or using your computer, tablet or phone (as you prefer) and from your web browser access morning and evening prayer using this link:

Click here and choose what you need.

To read or hear the prayer for today, click on this link: http://cofe.io/TodaysPrayer

Browse around the various pages and you’re sure to find something that interests you.

Alternatively download an App for your tablet or phone. Church House Publishing or provide a number of these Apps and these can be downloaded from https://www.chpublishing.co.uk/apps/daily-prayer

Parish Contacts

Parish Priest: Rev. Canon Lynn Parker – main point of contact for all matters

Curate: Rev. Laura Bushell-Hawke

Parish Wardens: Paul Gribble and Rosemary Stevenson

Readers/Licensed Lay Ministers: Richard Laugharne, Margaret Sylvester-Thorne, David Watters, Matt Frost

For weddings, baptisms, funerals and church services:  Rev. Canon Lynn Parker, David Watters and Margaret Sylvester-Thorne

Children’s work: Rev. Canon Lynn Parker, Evelyn Reed, David Watters, Margaret Sylvester-Thorne, Rev Laura Bushell-Hawke

Messy Church: Evelyn Reed

For buildings and general parish enquiries: the Parish Wardens:   Paul Gribble and Rosemary Stevenson

For Safeguarding:  Rev Laura Bushell-Hawke

Pastoral Visitors Team:  Pat Paxton

Parish Giving Scheme:  Paul Gribble

Finances: the Treasurer, Paul Gribble

Electoral Roll: Rosemary Stevenson

Enquiries about individual churches:

Downderry:  Andrew Pidgen

Hessenford: Fran Moore

St Germans: Richard Laugharne

Tideford: Evelyn Reed

Deanery Synod Reps:  David Watters,  Rosemary Stevenson and Paul Gribble

Cashiers: Peter Daw – St Germans; Tim Pullin – Downderry; Hugh Parker – Tideford and Fiona Bristow – Hessenford.

Additional PCC Members from May 2020

Tim Pullin, Stephen Guffick, Tilly Thompson, Yvonne Byles, Hugh Parker, Susan Booth, Dawn Couling, Fiona Bristow, and Bill Woods.

Hire and other info on St Germans Priory Church for events:

The St Germans Priory Trust:   www.stgermanspriory.info

Hire of the Church Hall in Hessenford:  http://www.hessenford.net

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For this month’s newsletter please click on this link September Newsletter

Continuing our series of who’s who within the benefice – this month it is the turn of Jenny Bushrod, one of the churchwardens at St Mary’s, Sheviock.

I can’t say that I was thrilled to be asked to write this article for the Newsletter and with the deadline looming I’m still no closer to knowing what I am going to write!

I was born in Sheffield and grew up in Huddersfield – much to my annoyance as I missed my paternal grandparents and wider family who still lived in Sheffield.  My parents didn’t drive so it was a long wait for holidays to come around to go and visit them, but I can remember the delight at going to stay with my Nan for the whole Summer holidays.

My Mum came from a Methodist background, played the organ and sang in the choir and I just fell into attending Sunday School and later the choir at Fartown Methodist Church, Huddersfield. My belief in God was something I just grew up with and strangely, something I have never questioned throughout my life.  I can’t get worked up about the need to prove He is there.  He just is – it’s me that wanders off like a stubborn sheep!

I don’t think I ever really took to Huddersfield and after my A levels joined the WRNS at HMS Dauntless in Reading, very much in my mind following my Grandad and Uncle who had served in the Navy during the two world wars.  I certainly enjoyed my time in the WRNS at HMS Excellent (Whale Island) in Portsmouth but, began to cement a lifelong trend of needing to learn by mistake and I left the WRNS three year’s later after my first marriage.  Both decisions were mistakes, but leaving the WRNS so early is the only one I have always regretted.

I returned to Yorkshire by myself and took more ill-conceived decisions culminating in the most wonderful outcome of a baby girl, Rachael born in 1984.  The responsibility of motherhood hit me like a missile and gave me the drive to ensure that Rachael would never be disadvantaged by having a single Mother.   I took the long way back to work and college and qualifications, always supported by my Mum.  It did mean some separation from Rachael, but piece by piece we built our life together.  However, I didn’t feel I could have Rachael christened and I simply felt “off the spectrum” in terms of going to Church.  But that didn’t mean that I ever stopped believing in God.

As my career moved with positive steps from Kirklees Council to the private sector with Kalon Group (Paint Manufacturers) and I accomplished management qualifications, I learned to have confidence in my ability – even and perhaps especially – when things went wrong.  I still made monumental mistakes with my personal life, but my daughter was a strong motivation and I was learning that I could succeed through work.

I came to Plymouth in 1993 with my partner and started work at the University, where I stayed in various management roles until I took voluntary redundancy in 2012.  I feel very privileged to have worked for the University of Plymouth as it presented so many opportunities – and challenges – over two decades.

So, it came as quite a shock to some, that my decision to leave in 2012 was swift and irreversible.   By this time, I had been married to Robert for 9 years, although with his life as a fisherman and my career at the University, time spent together was never easy to achieve, so the last ten years have been quite a journey into the unknown for both of us.

Part of my journey has been finding my faith again.  It started when I attended a Christingle service at St Mary’s with our niece Ruby – still a babe in arms.  I began to wonder if God would have me back.  As I was doing nothing about it, God decided to open the door for me.  After the birth of my granddaughter, Chloe, in 2012, Rachael announced that she wanted Chloe to be christened and she would be christened at the same time.  She suggested Crafthole Methodist Church as she had attended the Sunday Club there, so we went along to meet Revd Tom and were made to feel very welcome.  Now this put the onus on me to actually start going to Church and that was made all the easier as I could attend with my neighbour, Peggy.  God could not have made things easier. With new found time on my hands, I helped out as much as I could, even taking on the role of organist which I have to say was with some trepidation, as I certainly don’t have my Mother’s talent.

Then, God intervened once again.  I had started walking with the St Mary’s walkers and overheard them discussing their forthcoming project.  My ears pricked up and to cut to the chase, I volunteered to become their project manager in 2017.  The Church itself  – not just the project – became a driving force for me and I felt more and more compromised betwixt Crafthole Methodist Church and St Mary’s.  I knew that I wanted to join St Mary’s congregation and that the worship in that church – very much influenced by the building itself – was an irresistible call to my faith.

I was delighted to be welcomed and accepted by St Mary’s and despite all the challenges this incredible building throws up, I feel closer to God at this stage in my life than I ever have.  For me, there is an inextricable link between St Mary’s and God so it has been a great privilege to become a Church Warden – following in some extraordinary footsteps.  Very much a “Martha” I still feel that I need to earn my place in God’s House so looking after it is His calling, not a chore.

Click here to go back to top

~   News and Events in the Parish   ~

We are starting to reintroduce our public events, whilst some continue online.

St Nic’s Lunch Update

Now that we are unlocked and summer is upon us, we hope to start again somehow in September with something!

The  current plan is to have a meeting at 11.30 am on Wed 8th September in the Church with a view to understanding what is practical to do in light of the relevant Covid / food  /HSE guidelines and to plan for how we can move forward as well as the shape and frequency of  future events

Wed 29th September is pencilled as a likely date for ‘something’, depending on what we agree is possible with Covid 19 at the time.  Please let Sandra Pearce know if you would like to attend the meeting on 8th September.

Thank you to Sandra for all her time, effort and energy that she has put into this project.  It has taken many phone calls and emails to ascertain a way forward.

Zoom Pub Theology

Now running monthly

A chance to discuss ideas and thoughts about all matter of things theological.

After a short introduction of 5 minutes (or more), the conversation is open.

Meet via Zoom from 7.30 – 8.30pm first Monday of the month, starting June 7th

Topics:       TBA….please let Richard have any suggestions

For a Zoom link or enquiries or suggestions, ring Richard Laugharne (01503-230333) or email on richard.laugharne@nhs.net

All welcome! Click here to go back to top.

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Messy Church

meeting in St Germans Methodist Church

Next Messy Church is on Saturday 4th September, 10am to noon at St Germans Priory

Plenty of space for several families, even with Covid restrictions. Please bring a picnic!

Messy Church is a form of church for children and adults that involves creativity, celebration and hospitality – it’s fun!

If you’d like to help out please speak to Evelyn or ring her on 01503 230449

Find out more at https://www.messychurch.org.uk/what-messy-church-and-isnt

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Events at St Germans Priory Church

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Advance notice:

Friday September 10th at 7pm, ecumenical evensong with

Hugh, Bishop of St Germans and the Roman Catholic Bishop of St Germans.

The previous visit by the Roman Catholic Bishop was a wonderful and historic, and this time we also have the relatively newly appointed Bishop Philip to complete the occasion. Details to follow.